Second-hand-setting mechanism for watches



A BURNSTINE SECONDHAND SETTING MECHANISM FOR WATCHES Filed June 6 I922 May 13 1924.

wick-n 3 Patented May 13, 1924.

UNITED STATES ABRAHAM BURNSTINE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SECOND-HAND-SETTING MECHANISM FOR WATCHES.

Application filed June 6,

To all whom it may mm:

Be it known that ABRAHAM Bonns'rmn,

a citizen of the United States of-America.

residing at Washington, in-the District of Columbia, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Second-Hand-Setting Mechanism for Watches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a second-hand setting mechanism for watches and is an im rsigovement on my pendin application, rial Number 563,476, filed a th, 1922. The invention is designed with the object and\pur ose of providing a means whereby 15 the second-hand may be caused to be started, for instance from the 60 mark on the second hand dial at the instant the minute hand rests over the full minute mark on the watch dial so that the second-hand will correctly indicate at all times the number of seconds the minute has traveled intermediate any two minute marks on the watch dial. In other words this invention is designed for the purpose of producing a construction whereby the second and minute hands may be caused to operate in synchronism.

I produce this result by a simple watchstem controlled mechanism which will arrest the movement of the second hand when it has completed its cycle over the dial and rests over the 60 mark thereon, the .arresting movement of the second-hand also acting to stop the action of the entire watch movement, after which time, should the minute hand be not properly positioned with respect to the second hand, it may be set directly over its full minute mark, and the second hand operating mechanism released whereupon the full watch movement will be permitted to bebrought into action, at which time the minute and second hands will start from their respective full minute positions.

An attachment for this purpose is particularly adapted for railroad watches where accuracy in time, both with respect to the minute and second is an-element of exceedingly great importance, although the field for its usefulness is not limited to its use in this particular manner, being equally as well adapted for any watch carrying a secondhand.

\Vhile I am aware that this broad idea has been attempted to be placed to use with a varying degree of success, I believe I am the first to design a construction for the 1922. Serial No. 566,309.

purpose specified which is so simple in its arrangement and so effective in-its operation, and which resides only in the addition of-a few mechanical elements to a watch of ordinary type.

In the construction ,with which I am familiar, a decided X's-arrangement of parts and complex additional elements were necessary to arrive at the object for which my invention has been designed.

The present invention relates articularly to a seconds-hand setting mechanism for watches of that type which employ a pivoted setting lever which is mounted within the watch case and is operated by a thumb piece on the end of an arm of such setting lever and which arm projects thru an opening .in the rim of the watch case and is accessible for operation by the thumb or finger. Such setting lever mechanisms are well known to those skilled in the art and the application of my invention to watches which include these setting levers will be appreciated.

Therefore, the particular object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism controlled by the operation of the setting lever for causing the second-hand wheel to be stopped in its movement at a point, preferably where theseconds-hand Wlll rest over the 60 mark on the seconds-hand dial.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is atfront elevation of one standard type of Elgin watch with the dial removed and the front face plate partly broken away, and showing the setting lever in inoperative position;

Figure 2 is aview similar to Figure 1, but showing the setting lever moved to operating position;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the mechanism .shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, but illustrating the application of my invention to one standard type of Waltham watch and,

Figure 5 illustrates the application of the invention to a standard type of Hamilton watch.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference, and particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3 which illustrate the application of my invention to a standard type E1 in watch, 2 indicates the face plate of the mner movement carrying case, said face plate being partly broken away to'disclose certain interior construction, the purpose .015

which will :be later described 7 As is common in watches of this type, there is provided the usual stem u on which is mounted the winding and setting pinion 4, the lower face of. which is provided with a cial stud co-operateswith one end of a curved torsion or leaf spring 16 seated within a; recess inthe faceplate 2, the other end of said spring being suitably secured to the face plate. Thes ring 16 tends to normally move the clutcli 6 upwardly so that the ratchet face on the upper end thereof is in engagement with the lower ratchet face of the-pinion 4.. i

Pivotally mounted upon a screw 18 in the upper portion of theface plate 2, isthe setting lever 19, having a laterally curved or directed arm 20 which extends thru the rim of the watch and is provided with a thumb piece 22. In addition to the arm 20, the lever is provided with an oppositely and inwardly directed cam arm 23 having a pair of cams24= which alternately engage the studs 14 on the face of the yoke 10 to cause the latter. to be turned on its pivot in either direction and thereby, thru the radial arm 12 shift the clutch 6 longitudinally ofits axis.

Arranged within the watch case, and between the front and rear face lates,-is a longitudinally movable leaf or ar spring 25, the upper end of which is bent inwardly at 26 to provide a finger disposed within the groove 8 of the clutch member andpreferably upon the side opposite from that within which liesthe radial arm 12 of the yoke 10. The lower end 28 of the spring 25 is adapted to be moved into the path of movement of a projection 29 on the sec onds hand wheel 30 whenever the setting lever is swung outwardly on its pivot to disengage the co-opcrating clutch faces of the clutch 6 and pinion 4. The projection 29 is preferably so arranged on the seconds hand wheel 30 that the seconds hand will be stopped in its movement at the 60 mark on the seconds hand dial.

The spring 25 lies between and is guided in its reciprocatory movements by pms or screws 32 secured at suitable points transversely of and on the frame of the movement carrying case. This bar spring 25 is of such material that when it is engaged similar to that previously described and 1 need not be discussed except with. its =rela tion-to the elements associated therewith. As shown, the face plate is. recessed at 36 and has pivotally .mounted therein at 38, a lever 39, one end 40 of which lies within the annular groove of the clutch 33 upon one side thereof, the opposite end 41 be ng formed with a lateral and inwardly directed extension 42 providing a recess within which is disposed the inner curled or curved end 44 of the setting lever 45. The setting lever is pivotally mounted at 46 within the recess in the face plate and is formed with an outwardly directed arm 48 which extends thru the rim of the watch case.

The bar orleaf spring 25, and its relation to the "clutch and seconds hand wheel 30 is identical with that described and shown in connection with Figures 1, 2

and 3.

Obviously when the setting lever 45 is moved outwardly on its pivot 46, the lever 39 will rock on its pivot to move the clutch 33 downwardly to disengage the clutch faces of the pinion and the clutch member, and at the same time, the bar 25 will lie-shifted axially so that its end-will lie within the path of movement of the stud or projection on the seconds hand wheel.

Referring now to the arrangement shown in Figure 5 which illustrates the application of my invention to one form of standard Hamilton watch, the construction of the stem, pinion and clutch is similar to that referred to in connection with the Elgin and lValtham watches and need not be further described except with its relation to the elements associated therewith. As

here shown, the face plate 215 recessed at 50. and has disposed therein, and secured at one end as at 52. a bar spring lever 54, the free end 55 of which is formed into an upwardly and laterally directed finger 56.

Intermediate its ends, the bar spring lever is adapted for engagement with the finger 56 of the bar spring lever 54:. The setting lever 64 is provided with an arm 66 which extends thru an opening in the rim of the watch and is operated by the thumb piece 68.

As in the construction shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the present form includes the bar spring 25, the u per end of which is formed with a lateral y directed fin er disposed within the groove of the clutci member 6, while the lower end 28 is adapted to be moved into the path of movement of the projection 29 on the seconds hand wheel 30, when the setting lever is swung outwardly on its pivot and thru its arm 65 and the bar spring lever 54, the clutch 6 is shifted downwardly to disen ge the clutch faces of the pinion and c utch respectively.

From the foregoin description, the nature and operation 0 my invention should be clear, especially to those familiar with the art of horology.

What I claim as desired to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a watch, including a movement having a reciprocating clutch, a seconds hand wheel, a clutch lever engaging said clutch on one side thereof, a setting lever coacting with said clutch lever, and means to arrest the movement of said seconds hand wheel comprising a bar spring having its upper end engaging said clutch on the opposite side thereof.

2. In a watch, including a movement having a reciprocating clutch provided with an annular groove therein, a seconds hand wheel, a pivoted clutch lever having a portion thereof engaging said groove in a plane on one side of said clutch, a setting lever coacting with said clutch lever, and means to arrest the movement of said seconds hand wheel comprising a bar spring having the upper end thereof engaged with the groove of said clutch on the opposite side of said clutch lever.

3. In combination with a watch movement including a reciprocatin clutch having an annular groove therein, a seconds hand Wheel, and a lever setting mechanism engaging said groove of said clutch in a plane on one side thereof; of means to arrest the movement of said seconds hand wheel comprising a bar spring having its upper end engaged with said groove of said clutch on the opposite side of said setting mechanism.

4. In combination with a watch movement including a reciprocating clutch having an annular groove therein, a seconds hand wheel, and a lever setting mechanism engaging said groove of said clutch in a plane on one side thereof; of means to arrest the movement of said seconds hand wheel comprising a bar spring having its upper end engaged with said groove of said clutch on the opposite side of said setting mechanism, and a projection on said seconds hand wheel for engagement with the lower end of said bar spring when the latter is disposed in its path.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ABRAHAM BURNSTINE. 

